Meeting the Parent
by Moondoe
Summary: Niner and Thyme's relationship gets back to Skirata. He decides to check her out. Had no idea what genre to put this under. Niner/OC
1. Chapter 1

Kal Skirata, limp only mildly aching today, strode into the compound, eyes flicking from side to side as he studied his surrondings.

Even though he was smack dab in the middle of GAR barracks with his boys' home away from Laseema's apartment, Kal was cautious. It was a necessity, especially of late, considering his recent machinations against the Chancellor's Office. As much as he hated to admit it his boys, who he had tried so hard to make Mandalorian, would fire on him should they be ordered.

There was also Jaing's recent warning about the dislike for nonclones, mongrels, growing strong among some troopers. Especially among the IO clones.

So Kal, an old, short man with a limp, had plenty reason to be wary.

As he strode to the Arca barracks, Kal did his best to stay alert. Nothing, not even a shadowy threat, could take his mind off the recent piece of gossip passed along by Darman.

"Mind must still be in shock," he chuckled quietly to himself. He would have been estatic. He _should_ have been overcome with joy...Niner had a girl. Despite his mission, a small smile came across his mouth for a second.

Niner was his sober boy, moral in a way none of his other boys were, and Kal worried about him. It was good that Niner had been getting out of his shell a little bit more.

Still, this was a big change. When Darman had told him Niner had been more social of late, Kal had expected to hear of bar exploits, or even just an exploration of Coruscant's dazzling cities. The news that Niner had a girlfriend, and the relationship was serious had been a shock to Kal, though he'd been thrilled Niner had finally found someone who suited him.

But something just wasn't sitting right with the old sergeant. A feeling of wrongness just kept nudging at his mind and wouldn't leave him alone.

Niner had never shown an interest in women. He had never sought one out, like Mereel and Jaing were infamous for in their little group. He never had an ache like Fi did (according to Etain) to have something more _than the shabla death sentence the GAR offered him_.

And out of the blue...Niner had a woman, and not a one night stand type.

Something didn't seem quite right about it, and Kal's fatherly instincts were all screaming in alarm. He needed to meet this girl, take measure of her, and make sure she wasn't going to hurt his son. Especially since she was one of Ru'more's girls...

Kal worked with these females. He had helped get some of them get off of Kamino, feeling pity for them, sometimes even more trapped than his boys. He also knew that some of them had some sort of powers...and mind control was not uncommon among them.

Pity or not, respect and friendship with Ru'more or not, if one of her girls was toying with his son, the girl was going to pay.

* * *

As soon as he crossed into the territory, he stopped.

All the women in the room...

They looked as if they were expecting him.

Different eyes with different glows of power stared at him warily.

There were only four here right now. Oops, no. A pair of purple ears poking up from a bedside told him five as they caught his eyes when he searched the room to see if there was anyone he knew.

He cleared his throat but someone, someone familiar, cut him off.

"Well, well, well," the person laughed and boots clomped closer to him as he turned,"Look what the Rancor dragged in!"

A grin spread across his face at the sight coming his way. He held out his hand.

"_Su'cuy gar,_ Anamanra," he said, taking a firm hold of her elbow which she returned strongly,"Still alive, eh?"

"And kicking the _shabla_ Galaxy in the _shebs_," she laughed, blue eyes sparkling.

"I thought you were out on mission in the Nar Shaddah sector!"

"I was. I got recalled to go on a mission with one of _ner vod_."

"Anyone I know?"

"Nah, she's came to us when you were on...temporary leave from the army."

Skirata grunted. That was the time his contract with the GAR had ended and he was forced to leave his boys behind.,"So what's this sister's name?"

"You have a moment? She should be here any minute."

"Can't. I have to talk to one of your _vod_. I was told she was staying here."

"Is she in trouble?"

"Maybe. She's with Niner."

"Oh? Oh. You mean Thyme."

"Now, I know Mister Solemn got a woman," a voice yelled behind Skirata,"But with THYME?"

Skirata blinked at the woman as she ran into the room, zooming past him.

"Alright, never mind. Looks like she'd be here in a second," Anamanra chuckled. The woman slowed as she reached Anamanra and grasped her elbow before turning to get a full view of Skirata.

"Oh, she purred, eyeing Skirata like he was a treat,"Yummy. Who's the new guy?"

He stared at her for a beat. She was a pretty one, he didn't deny it. Almost looked like an actually twin to Anamanra. The shape of her face, eyes, and nose were the same along with the same dark (almost completely black) skin, the tall slender bodies that curved when they were standing still, and the spark of fun in the eyes. Only a few differences he could see such as her hair being dark and her eyes were gold. And she had lower cheekbones than the blue haired woman's aristocratically high ones.

And her taste in men was apparently different...

"You do know I'm about three times your senior, _ad'ika_," he finally said. He was rewarded with a small smirk and another slower inspection of his figure.

"I'm not blind. Nothing wrong with age," she murmured, eyes heavy lidded,"'sides, few more years and I could match you."

Skirata winced slightly at the reminder. He's almost forgotten that these women, clones as well, had the rapid aging in their systems. Anamanra coughed a few times before nudging her sister's hip with her own.

"Down, girl, you'll scare him away with any more flirting," she said, managing a smile at Skirata's wincing look,"Skirata, I don't think you've met Flavor yet."

The ears on the other side of the bed twitched.

"Call me Flave, good looking," she said, grasping his elbow in the Mandalorian way.

"Flavor," he said eyeing her and cracked a smile,"Do I want to figure out why?"

She bit on her lip to stop herself from grinning even more widely,"Maybe I could show you some day soon, handsome?"

"It would give me something to look very forward to," he said graciously with a twitch of a smile, turning her hand a little to kiss it. Who said he was a complete thug?

The look on the Flavor's face was surprised and Anamanra had to hold back a grin. Despite her personality, it didn't take much to surprise Flavor. Any simple act of kindness would do. And Skirata just earned himself a very devoted devotee.

"Hoooo," she said, fanning herself (the slight tinge of red didn't escape his notice nor did the girl's suddenly shy smile),"He is a sweetheart, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is," Anamanra smirked before pushing the girl slightly out the door,"Now get going! Since you're early, you have a little time to be in the hangar. Broadside should be landing soon."

She pouted but went along easily,"You just want him all to yourself."

Before Anamanra could say anything else, another voice cut in.

"Skirata," it said in the direction of the ears,"Kal Skirata?"

Skirata's eyes focused once again on the ears as best he could (since they were moving). They were feline shaped so she was some sort of feline humanoid, but the coloring was something he couldn't identify with...then again, the Kaminii liked to experiment around with genes. It would be nothing to them to change something so simple as fur color.

Catuman, maybe. They're a very good species for warfare if she was wanted for just plain warfare...or Trianii. Cantrosian's had poison in their claws that spread that terrible fever of theirs-

But he nearly had a heart attack when the face that appeared around the bed was one of a Cathar.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Give a big hand to the superb Tahiri Veila Solo! having difficulty with the first beginning part, and she helped out and put her own ideas in! I know Skirata was a little out of character, but I couldn't help it for Flave XD. Part two will have Niner in it as well!**

**Skirata and Niner belongs to Karen Travis's Republic Commando.**

**Feline Species belong to George Lucas**

**All the females belong to me.**

**Pleeeease review and tell me what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Uh," he said, caught off track as the woman rose up and came towards him slowly. She towered over him, looking to be as tall as his commando boys. Her base skin was a very light purple, almost dusty, while there was a much darker tone of the color zigzagging and dotting over different areas of her fur.

"Well, Kal," Anamanra said, looking pleased,"Looks like you get to meet-

"Karlotte," the humanoid said easily, leaning down to grasp his elbow firmly. He nodded, his tongue taking refuge somewhere at the back of his mouth. He didn't see the raised eyebrow the technician sent the woman.

"She's an _ori'vode_ of Thyme," Anamanra finally said, never taking her eyes away from her,"She'll show you around to all her favorite spots and see if she's there."

"Eh, I wouldn't want to waste her time..."

"You couldn't waste too much of her. There's plenty to go around. Big personality and all. You'd think she was a different person."

"Either way," the old sergeant grunted as he walked out the door,"I know my way around pretty well. I'm sure I can find her."

* * *

The Cathar raised and eyebrow at her sister as soon as Skirata couldn't be heard.

Anamanra raised both.

Karlotte tilted her head slightly, a wild look in her eye.

Anamanra lifted her chin, a troubled look in hers.

Karlotte shrugged, her eyes jumping back and forth a few times before smirking. She turned from the room, listening to the melodious music of her sister's laughter as she headed after the old sergeant.

_You had to make a joke about that?_

_How could I not with what you're doing._

_Don't screw this up for me._

_Why hide? He's a good man._

_I have not doubt. It's the old sergeant, experienced fighter, devoted father, and survival extrordinar I'm scared of._

* * *

Skirata turned slowly when the soft pitter patter of feet coming towards him, not really surprised when the purple beauty came to his side and slowed to match his limp. He shrugged it off and kept walking.

He had never seen a live Cathar but he had seen pictures of Sylvar as well as Cado, so he had a basic picture. Her nose was smaller than Sylvar's, but without a doubt she was a Cathar.

"It's rude to stare," she finally said in amusement as he continued to stare at her fully.

"Don't mean to be," he said, shaking himself out of it,"it's just-"

"You're wondering how could there be a Cathar clone when they were extinct by your kind millennias ago," she said with a knowing smile not looking at him or breaking stride.

"Pretty much."

"To say it simply, they found some old Cathar bones somewhere and took what little DNA they could to clone it into a beautiful reject."

"How modest."

"I try to be. There's enough vanity around here as it is."

Skirata chuckled and they continued on.

* * *

Months went by as Skirata waited with Karlotte to see any hint of Thyme. But the Cathar was wonderful company. She regaled him with stories of all the missions she had been on as well as the clever tricks she played on many sisters and mongrels alike that had Skirata's sides hurt.

But there was something surrounding her that dampened his spirits a little. An air that radiated worry with nervousness. It wasn't there when she first started escorting him around. It slowly grew on her as the days went by. Skirata tried to write it off as worry for her sister, but he didn't know what tot think about the nervousness.

Other than that, she was a wonderful girl. Filled and overflowing with life and mischief that made her eyes open and friendly. Her outgoing nature made him feel old, but in a good way. Terrible shot, when they went on the range once but her aim with a knife was astounding. She told him it was because she needed to feel what she was holding to be sure, and she couldn't hold a bullet to make it go where she wanted.

"Me, too, sometimes," he said as he aimed and knocked her knife away with his three sided one.

* * *

Niner looked confused,"She wasn't in the barracks?

"If she was, she didn't show herself...and her _vod_ didn't recognize her."

Omega squad had just come back from a their tour with the Marits. Three months with the lizards and their cannibalistic ways had them glad to be home...with a kitchen that didn't serve dead, finely chopped grandmothers in soups.

"That's surprising. Thyme doesn't hide...unless she's teasing someone," he commented as they passed. Skirata had a feeling his name should have been on the end of that sentence, but he let it go.

"Well, are you going to keep me in suspense? What she look like, son?"

"She's kind of hard to miss, _buir_. She's cloned from a humanoid the-"

He cut off abruptly and came to a stop the same way that made Skirata nearly lose his balance. Niner's brow furrowed as he turned back around and scanned the area behind him.

A pretty brown haired IO unit had her back to them, looking over a data pad and checking on crates. Niner's eyes narrowed in on her and his set his DC over his shoulders before walking up to her and gently flicking her ear.

She grinned widely up into his face when she leaned back to see who it was,"Hallo~"

"Hello," he said back easily and picked up a lock of hair,"And what's all this?"

"My question first," she said, turning around to look at him properly,"How's you know it was me? Instinct?"

"No," he said smiling,"I could smell your shampoo."

She lost her grin to stare up at him blankly for few moment before bursting into laughter,"_Kriff_!"

"You still put it on a little thick," he teased her as she continued to laugh,"I could smell it past all the oil and metal."

Skirata felt his jaw drop a few milimeters.

"Oh, quit it," she chuckled and punched him lightly in the arm,"I thought it was a real love connection that let you sense me!"

"It might be there...maybe if you toned down on the ocean breeze, I could sense you before I smell you!"

She laughed again as Skirata shut his jaw and swallowed heavily at the look of peace and bliss on Niner's face as she hugged him close.

"You _di'kut_," she said, pulling back to smile,"Always ruining the romance."

"You mean prodding at it until it starts bleeding," he said, kissing her on the temple and herded her towards the waiting Skirata,"Speaking of prodding, I want you to meet _buir_, finally.

"Actually...we've met," she said smiling over to Skirata. He looked her over, trying to recall if he had met. He couldn't think of anyone right then, there hadn't been many IOs on Coruscant at the time.

"Well I look a little different now," she said, mock glaring at him as he gave her skeptical look,"Let me..."

She looked around for something on her figure, batting away Niner's hands each time he tried to help before sighing irritably and letting him find...whatever needed to be found.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," she said to Skirata,"buuuut..._Buir_ talks very highly of you and told us how much you love Niner and all your boys and I knew-"

Niner mumbled something as a button on her wrist was pressed and the look dissolved around her.

"You'd be on edge about me," she finished and a familiar figure took her place. Skirata felt himself go numb as all expression slipped off of her face.

"Thy'ika," Niner murmured as she gazed back at him evenly,"I'll be back. I need to check on the _vod_ real fast."

"Alright," she said and turned, grinning at him,"Don't be long or I'll show your _buir_ just what I do to get your attention."

The words flew right past Skirata as "Karlotte" turned back to him and smiled a little.

"_She tricked me_," he thought numbly,"_She's been talking and following me this whole time..._"

Skirata took a deep breath to pull himself together...if just for outside benifit. When he did, he shot her a look. She shrugged at the silent question.

"I didn't want you to be biased of me. Not many people trust IO units because of our beauty and job."

A small part of his anger flew out of him. It was a rational explanation. The same thing happened to him when he first met Ordo's wife, Besany. She went beyond the comfort level of beauty as well.

"Aaaand," she said with a knowing grin,"I didn't want the extra maternal suspicion on top. Brought my chances down very low."

Skirata gave her that point with a chuckle,"Old habits die hard. I wanted to make sure you were not controlling him-"

"And hurting him," she said knowingly.

"Yes...I know some of your _vod_ have mind powers...I don't want you to force him into anything. I had to make sure."

"What makes you think I'm not now," she asked as she leaned against one of the crates.

"My gut's telling me."

"Glad it likes me. What about you?"

Skirata raised an eyebrow. The woman had grit...and a mouth on her. She was challenging him with her posture, stance, and eyes.

Very different from "Karlotte".

He took on the challenge, unable to back down. Neither one looked away and tention grew thick in the air.

Finally she smirked, looking down,"I'll take that as a maybe."

She pushed off the crate and went to leave...but stopped at the last minute to face Skirata again.

"Just so you know...I do have a power," she warned him. She paused a moment to look over to Niner with a look Skirata used to give his late wife when he was many years younger,"but it's not mind control."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Redone Version**

**The conclusion? Well, we'll have to see in other stories, da? :D**

**Pleeeeease tell me if this is any good. I'm a little edgy about the ending...**

**Skirata and Niner belong to Karen Travis's Republic Commando books.**

**Thyme is mine**

**Read, Review, Enjoy**


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